Device for teaching touch typewriting



c. H. WILLIAMS E FOR TEACHING TOUCH TYPEWRITING Feb. 17, 1925.

DEVIS Filed Sept. 20, 1919 of second' and ws.

Lesson/.1. All frird ro I.

lmatented eh.. 7,

CLARA. H. WLLIAMS, F SUTTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVUE FOR TEACHING TOUGH TYPEWRITING.

Application :filed September 20, 1919. Serial No. 325,134.

To @ZZ whom if Aifmi/ concern.'

Be it known that l, Cin/inn l-l. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sutton, county of lliorcester, Commonwealth olzlassachuseits, have invented certain new and useful improvements inDevices for 'lleaching Touch 'l"ypew"riting7 of which the following aspecification.

lily present invention relates to teaching, and particularly to acrevice for the teachi i and practice of touch typewriting. Thenian'pulat-ion of a typewriting machine withont eye guidance for thefingers has heen in constantly increasing demand a necessary element tospeed and accuracy. lt has heretofore heen a somewhat difficultaccomplishment except ai'nong professional typists who hy long study andconstant practice have acquired the necessary muscular mem ory of thekey hoard of their machine and who have huilt up thereon the requisitedigital agility for speed.

Such training has moreover heen for the most part confined to schoolswhere practice typewriting machines and instructions or coaches areavailable. Snch schools are not available to all and study at suchschools is usually only possible for those definitely committed to acareer as a professional. Even to those anxious to enter such schoolsthe required time and expense and opportunity are not always at thecommand of the worthy.

More than this the general utility of the type-writing machine is so fargreater than mere professional employment that it is of the greatestimportance to make available to all, the most complete mastery of thetypewriter as a general factor in our civili- Zation.

lt is the purpose of my present invent-ion to make availahle to all in aseries of related steps an absolute knowledge of touch typev.f*ritingwithout the use of a typewriting machine for mastery of the step whichthe pupil is learning. ln fact, my system does not contemplate the useof a machine in learning except to rehearse or demonstrate the lessonsas they are learned. rllie use of the machine is of course to heencouraged for the development of speed and as stimulus andencouragement to the pupil who thus has the satisfaction of not-ing hisown progress.

lily invention contemplates a combination in which the mind through theeye and the lingers hy movement are simultaneously but independentlydrilled to effect muscular memory which will compel accurate andimmediate digital response on the keys of a typewriter.

`For this l provide an eye chart and an exercise area with proper digitloci capable of a graded,` progressive expansion so .that each digit istrained and experienced both independently and in combination with otherlingers in widening key areas following lessons of selected andpredetermined character sequence.

My invention is capable of a considerable variety of mechanicalembodiments. F or the purpose of illustration l haveshown a form welladapted to average usage. n the drawings illustrating this formreference characters are appended in correspondence to those usedthroughout the specication.

ln these drawings:

Fig. l is a view of an embodiment characteristic of my invention andready for use.

Fig. 2 a view of the same packed.

F ig. 3 a plan view of the layout of a lesson.

F ig. 4 is a section on the line X-X, and

Figs. 5 and 6 details of characteristic loci markers.

ln the practice of my invention I provide a visualization area l adaptedto receive at suitably indicated points the proper character discs llwhich will he hereinafter described. i

The points l0 at which the character discs ll are to he applied may forthe purposes of this application be considered merely as loci orindicated positions. The indications may be made in any manner desired,but these loci are perfectly definite in that they include all thoserelative positions corresponding to the keys and the key board of anygiven typewriter, the manipulation of which is to e taught.

associated with this is an exercise area 2 having indicated loci 2O onwhich are to he located proper wafers 2l as will be more fully explainedlater. Between these areas and preferably spacing them apart l provide alesson area 3 at which may be located a sheet or page which in the formshown may he a page of a hook 3l.

The sheets or pages 30 each have in whole or in part one of a series oflessons which furnish instructive or practixe matter such as words orletter combinat ons,V the char Lesson 4. All of second and third rows.

Youth delights.

rftfof uj yj hj D Tha sight.

this history other sights Lesson 3.

desired dollars.

aqweraf g juiop;j

liked fellows.

required iiukes frewqaf ;poiuj owes apples.

When you can do this lesson with correct fingering and accuracy inreaching the keys, your faith in your ability to master the subject willbe unbounded.

The term loci applied to the indicated points 2() on the exercise area 8is used for the reasons set forth above in connection with the points orpositions l0. These indicated loci 20 have the same relative positionsas 10 and in fact are a duplication as far as position is concerned. Thedifference between the two groups is this. The loci l0 are preferablyunlettered or uncharactered inasmuch as it is desirable in thevisualization area to avoid distraction of attention from anythingexcept the indicted keyv group which is to be kept before the mind ofthe pupil at any particular lesson. The term character as used herein isintended to mean the character or marking of any key as distinguishedfrom the finger indications l, 2, 3, 4, which direct the pupil as to theproper finger to be used on the key.

l preferably form the areas l, 2 and 3 as a flexibly jointed boardhinged along the lines a-a and b-b- The area 3 in the form shown isformed with a pocket 31 into which the rear cover of the book 3l may bethrust so that when the book is closed it will overlie the area 3. Theportions l and 2 may then be folded about the book and secured in anysuitable manner as by the strap and buckle 4 as shown in Fig. 2.

In practice the areas 1 and 2 are suitably bound with a facing ofcelluloid 6 over a sheet 5 on which are defined by printing suitablyspaced circles 10 and 20 arranged in rows and corresponding in numberand arrangement with the position of the type keys of a typewriter. Thecircles defining these spaces are preferably lightly defined and areeach lightly indicated by the character appearing on the correspondingkey of the typewriter key board which is to be used to aid in placingthe markers.

In the area 2 the circles 20 are laid out in exactly correspondingmanner but the key characters are not indicated thereon. In lieu thereofeach circle is marked with a numeral l, 2, 3, or 4 indicating the properdigit to be used in striking the indicated key.

lVith each device I supply two sets of wafers 1l and 2l. These wafersare very conveniently formed as discs of paper embossed and gummed ontheir under face. The wafers of the set ll approximate in size and colorthe keys of the typewriter and constitute a complete set representing intheir entirety all the characters which appear. VThese constitute thevisualization set of my system.

The wafer set 2l is also preferably an embossed reproduction of the keyof the machine to be taught but with the key characters omitted. rlhesekey wafers, however, are lightly marked with numerals 1, 2, 3, or 4 thesame constituting digit indications for assisting in locating orverifying the. location of any finger in any position on the bank.

My system contemplates the introduction of the pupil to limited areas ofthe key bank in progression. Each area is to be learned and thoroughlymastered before the area is to be expanded.

l therefore provide in the lessons fur nished a stint consisting of apredetermined number of characters. These characters are selected withregard to the contiguity of the keys as actually occurring on themachine to be taught.

The lessons usually include combinations of these characters arranged togive great est possible variety in relative finger move ment. llfheneverpossible words are selected Vhaving these letter combinations.

In preparing a lesson the pupil locates on the proper circles indicatedin the risualization area l the proper wafers ll thus presenting to theeye as a group what is practically a reproduction of that area of thekey bank. The pupil therefore has before the eye what is really areproduction of these keys standing out in relief on the general area ofan indicated key board. Thus only those particular keys on whichattention is to be concentrated are presented to the eye. rlhis gives tothe mind through the eye a strong visual impression which has for theaverage memory a high persistence with a corresponding high memoryefhciency.

On the practice area 2 the pupil locates the corresponding number ofdigit locus wafers 2l, selecting those bearing the proper digit numberin correspondence with those indicated on the digit loci 20. Thispresents to the .fingers properly spaced touch elements easilyperceptible by the finger tips and constituting definite spots to whichthe fingers may be moved in accordance with the combination and sequencecalled for in the lesson.

By the repeated positioning of the fingers on these various loci andwith the visual association afforded on the sight area l there israpidly formed the muscularmemory required in touch typewriting. p

As soon as visual memory has been sufciently established., thevisualization area l may be folded under the area 3. As digitation iscarried on the imiscular memory is rapidly effected and visualizationmay be gradually discontinued. There the pupil does not possess a.visual memory it is necessary to maintain reference for a longer periodto the sight area. l where it becomes apparent that a pupil does notpos-- sess natural visual memory the sight area may be used to developsuch a memory or the pupil may be permitted to name the character outloud at the time of movement of the finger if it appears that a pupilhas developed auditory memory or that an auditory memory will work tobetter advantage and afford greater progress.

iVhen the pupil has mastered the given area and has practiced therequired digitation sufficiently to be able to accurately and rapidlyplace the fingers without visual aid to the lingers, i. e. the sightarea l, then the pupil may be placed at the machine for practical testand rehearsal on the lesson just learned.

ln practice it is found that it is better to reserve the machine itselffor such test and rehearsal until the pupil has actually mastered thelesson and definitely established either a pure muscular memory or sucha combination of visual and muscular memories as will enable him toeffect an unerring digitation. The reason of this is that the periodconsumed in memorizingand practicing is apt to become irksome and thepromise of transfer to the actual machine affords a promise of changewhich gives an incentive to complete the drudgery of the lesson. Neitheris it to be ignored that if the drudgery can be transferred from themachine to the drilling de` vice. a very practical result has beenaccomplished in avoiding those feelings of dislike which are apt to beattached to the thing immediately associated with the un pleasantexperience. 1n this connection it may be noted that my system,practically accommodates this phase of human nature because no matterhow tedious the pupilV has found the practice of the lesson on mysystem*1 the satisfaction of accomplishment and demonstration on themachine is usually so great that the pupil cheerfully rc turns to thesystem and the drudgery of the nert lesson inspired by the success ofthe demonstration on the machine itself of the preceding lesson.

After one lesson has been uiastered, demonstrated and rehearsed the nextlesson is taken up. Additional character discs ll are added inaccordance with the succeeding lesson and the corresponding digit discs2l are added on the exercise area 2. The lesson to be studied appears atthe area 3 in the form shown, it being simply necessary to turn theleaves. i

rl`he lessons are continued7 the areas enlarged by attaching new wafersuntil both the sight area and the exercise area are completely filled,at which time the pupil will have learned the entire key board and cantake up practice for speed.

The particular areas or keys selected for each lesson and the sequenceof these areas and lessons and the characters and digitation may bevaried and probably should be varied especially for different keyboards. The naturev of the. apparatus used is also open to wide varietyof use and the lessons themselves may be presented in a variety offorms, the book form being merely employed as illustrative of aconvenient and successful form of my invention. All these varieties arewit-hin the purview of my invention if within the limits of the appended1 claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for teaching touch typewriting comprising a chart havinga visualization area section, and a fingering area section, both of saidsections being a simulation of at least a portion of a typewriterkeyboard and being substantially counterparts of each other.

2. An apparatus for teaching touch typewriting, comprising a folderhaving a plurality of sections, one of said sections having avisualization area, and another of said sections having a iingeringarea, both of said areas being a simulation of at least a portion of atypewriter keyboard and being substantially counterparts of each other.

3. An apparatus for teaching touch typewriting, comprising a charthaving a visualization area section which is a simulation of at least vaportion of a typewriter keyboard with designating characters indi,-

eating the lreys represented, and a fingering area section which is asimulation ot' that portion ot the typewriter keyboard simulated by thevisualization section with designating characters indicating the digit-sto be used.

a. tn apparatus tor teaching touch type- Writing comprising avisualization area section which is a simulation of at least a portionor" a typewriter keyboard with designating characters indicating thelreys represented, a lingering area section Which is a simulation otthat portion ot the typewriter keyboard simulated by the visualizationsection with designating characters indicating Vthe digits to be used,and progressive exercises associated therewith.

In a touch typcwriting teaching system, an exercise area having a groupot' unlettered digit loci indicated at suitable intervals correspondingto typewriter keyspacing, each having a proper designation indicatingthe particular linger of the hand to be used on it, a visualization areacontaining corresponding key indications having hey characters shownthereon, and a set ot attachable markers having l-ey characters thereonfor the visualization area and a set of attachable digit loci markershaving suitable linger numbers thereon for said exercise area.

G. In a touch typewriting teaching system, an exercise area having agroup ot unlettered digit loci indicated at suitable intervalscorresponding to typewriter key spacing, each having a properdesignation indicating the particular nger of the hand to be used on it,a visualization area containing corresponding ltey indications havingkey characters shown thereon,V and progressive lessons comprisingpractice letter combinations of the letters included in successivelycorresponding areas ot the type- Writer keyboard, and a set ofattachable markers having key characters thereon ior the visualizationarea and a set of attachable digit loci markers having suitable lingernumbers thereon for said exercise area.

7. in a touch typewriting teaching system an exercisev area having agroup ot' unlettered digit loci indicated at suitable intervalscorresponding to typewriter key spacing, each having a proper'designation indicating the particular linger or the hand to be used onit, a visualization area containing corresponding key indications havingkey characters shown thereon, and progressive lessons comprisingpractice letter combinations olf the letter included in successivelycorresponding areas of the typewriter lnr'fooard` and a set of guinmedWaters having lrey characters thereon tor the visualization area and aset ot' gunnned waters having suitable finger numbers thereon for saidexercise area.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature in presence ot two witnesses.

CLARA H. WILLL'UV

